Ex-CNN analyst Chris Cillizza ripped as he apologizes for not probing Biden’s ‘signs of decline’ sooner

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Former CNN political analyst Chris Cillizza had a moment of self-reflection on Thursday, December 19, after he admitted that he regrets not digging deeper into concerns about President Joe Biden’s mental and physical health during his time at the network.

In a candid moment on his YouTube channel, Cillizza said he feels he missed an opportunity to address what many Republicans and voters had been questioning for years.

Chris Cillizza looks back at his time at the network with regret

"As a reporter, I have a confession to make: I should have pushed harder earlier for more information about Joe Biden’s mental and physical well-being and any signs of decline," Cillizza confessed.

"So let me explain. Joe Biden was president from 2020 to 2024. I worked at CNN through 2022. During that time, the early part when I was at CNN, 2020 to 2022, people would regularly—Republicans would regularly ping me and say, ‘Why don’t you ask more questions of Joe Biden and how he’s doing? He’s [a] 76, 77, 78-year-old man,’" he continued, adding "And I would sort of brush them off because what I would say is, ‘Well, there’s no obvious evidence that he’s declining. Yeah, he moves a little slower, he talks a little slower, but there’s no evidence that he’s declining.'"

He didn’t stop there. Reflecting on his hesitation to ask tough questions, he revealed how the White House’s stubbornness on the issue influenced his approach.

"The White House and the people around Joe Biden were absolutely adamant that suggesting anything—asking the question about whether he was in some physical, mental, or both decline—was offensive. ‘How could you? It’s age shaming,’” he explained. "And I think that impacted me at some level because, while I did ask the question from time to time—not directly to the White House, but aides and people in that orbit—I didn’t really push on it if I’m being honest," he added.

Once he left CNN, Cillizza admitted that the signs of Biden’s age became clearer. "Once it became a little bit more clear to me about Biden’s age, I think I did write pretty regularly and talk pretty regularly about how I wasn’t sure that this guy was up to it," he said.

The evidence piles up as news outlets paint troubling picture of Joe Biden

Chris Cillizza's change of heart comes in the wake of recent stories from major outlets like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal which painted a troubling picture of Biden’s decline.

The NYT reported that White House aides described Biden as "weary, frail, and moody" even as he insisted he could handle a second term. Meanwhile, the WSJ revealed that Biden’s team worked hard to shield him from scrutiny and manage his responsibilities amid growing concerns about his competence.

Insiders told The Wall Street Journal how Biden’s staff began adapting to his fluctuating capabilities early on. By spring 2021, meetings were being rescheduled based on his "good days and bad days." One national security official reportedly confided to an aide, "He has good days and bad days, and today was a bad day so we’re going to address this tomorrow."

Biden’s daily schedule was adjusted to accommodate his energy levels, with most activities wrapping up before 4 pm after staff recognized his struggles beyond a six-hour window.

To make matters more manageable, the White House hired Hollywood mogul and campaign co-chair Jeffrey Katzenberg as a voice coach to help Biden project a stronger tone amid his faint and raspy delivery.

Other aides removed negative press from his daily news stack to keep his spirits up, even as public approval of his performance plummeted to a 70-year low this year, the New York Post reported.

Chris Cillizza's shift in tone about Joe Biden's 'decline'

It's worth noting that back in August 2021, Chris Cillizza had dismissed Republican claims about Joe Biden’s decline as "gross, lowest-common-denominator politics."

Writing for CNN, he challenged critics to provide evidence or stop fueling baseless narratives. "If Republicans have some sort of proof that Biden is declining, they should bring it forward. If they don’t, they should stop doing what they’re doing. Immediately," he argued at the time.

However, the reporter faced backlash on social media following his recent mea culpa.

"I find it completely implausible that he, or anybody else, didn't know Biden was noncompos mentis," one posted on X.

"'Gee guys. I didn't figure it out earlier cuz my paychecks require my ignorance,'" another quipped.

"Cillizza is full of malarkey. The moment when Joe's aids started saying he had a stutter, is the moment it began. I had been observing Biden going back to when he first ran for president in 1987. I challenge anyone to find a video of him 'stuttering' up to 5 years ago," read a comment.

"They all knew the entire time yet power and access was more important for these corporate journalists than reporting the truth," someone else offered.

"Much like how it's 'safe' to come out as a Trump supporter. Now it's 'safe' for journalists to say, 'Sorry we lied,'" another chimed in.

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